| How to Build a Love Fort Feb 15th 2013, 05:00 Instead of the typical dining by candlelight at a fancy restaurant, why not do something a little more creative with your honey on date night? Hark back to the good old days of making blanket forts in your room––the coziness you felt, the security, but at the same time sense of adventure you experienced "camping out" at home. Now apply that mindset to creating a fortress of love for you and your significant other. Don't let your sweetheart know, but instead surprise him or her with the ultimate love fort. - Choose an evening when you won't be disturbed. You're going go be having a romantic interlude underneath a creatively constructed blanket fort and the last thing you want is to select a night your neighbors are throwing a loud party, your mother is planning to stop by with a roast, or the kids want to join you.
- If you have children, arrange for them to either sleep out that evening or wait to make your fort after they've gone to bed––there is no way a kid (no matter how old they are) can resist a blanket fort.
- Although Friday or Saturday night would be ideal, contribute to the element of surprise and arrange to make your love fort during the week, especially toward the end of a rough week at work or college.
- Turn off the electronics. Your iPad, phone and laptop are not invited to the love fort––you're taking this off the grid. However, if you have small children who are sleeping out and may need to reach you, leave your land line connected for emergencies––parents must improvise while the kids are young.
- Avoid ordering food during your set up. Order in before you start, so the food will be ready and you won't be interrupted by the deliverer.
- Ask friends or your mom to skip the nightly phone call or visit. If you feel comfortable telling others you're constructing a love fort, tell folks who typically pop by that you don't want to be disturbed on that particular evening.
- Select the perfect location in your home or yard. Weather permitting, you could construct your fort outside if there is not threat of wild animal (or nosy neighbor) attacks.
- Choose a spacious area that will allow enough room to comfortably fit a queen sized blow up mattress.
- Consider proximity to the bathroom and kitchen so you can make late night dashes for snacks or if nature calls.
- Select an area that allows you to be private and comfortable snuggling and being intimate with your partner--building your fort in front of your picture window may provide the neighbors with a show you don't want to have.
- If you both adore stargazing, building the love fort out under the stars on a soft lawn on a warm night can be a very romantic way to spend the night. Just be sure to include a stargazing hole in the top of your love fort.
- Design your fort on paper. Building the ultimate love fort means that you may have to go high tech instead of just tossing a few blankets over a table and calling it a fort. After all, you don't want blankets collapsing in on your loving moments. While you don't have to be a master architect in order to build a love fort, you do need to have an idea of what you plan to do and a quick sketch of a suitable design can help you decide just how workable your love fort is.
- Sketch out a general shape on a sheet of paper of what you hope the fort will look like when you are finished.
- Make a list of the materials you'll need to build the fort, including an estimate of material requirements (such as number of chairs or stools to use as braces) and the number of possible sheets or blankets. Do you have the items in the house or do you need to stop off and get a folding chair, cushions or some other elements?
- Consider the romantic details too. While you're basically constructing an awesome blanket fort, the goal is to get your lover "in the mood." Think about adding flameless candles (never bring a lit candle into a blanket fort) or small LED lights in different colors (red is good for romance), a book of your favorite poetry, wine or champagne, two wine glasses or champagne flutes and some chocolate covered strawberries. Don't forget about romantic music––use either a small "boom box" or an iPod docking station with speakers. And since you aren't building a fort for a 9 year-old, you may want to use a blow-up mattress or soft foam padding instead of doing the sleeping bag thing, although the notion of cozying up inside one sleeping bag may be appealing to some folks. (And some sleeping bags can be zipped together to make one huge, awesome cuddle bag!)
- Choose your fort materials. While large blankets are a favorite for some, flat, unfitted sheets may be easier to work with because they aren't heavy and may stay propped up more easily; choose darker colors to maintain the sense of being enclosed in a cozy space.
- Find suitable bracing supplies such as chairs, bar stools, ladders and tables.
- Gather building supplies including, large clips such as chip clips or hair clips to use as a securing device once you've built the fort. Other building supplies include safety pins, clothes pins or a stapler (which will allow you to join sheets or blankets in order to cover a larger surface). In addition, some duct tape can be of enormous service in keeping everything in place without too much effort.
- Locate several sheets or blankets to use as your "walls" and "ceiling." Splurge on some new ones that can be used on the bed later, as part of the treat (high count cotton for sheets).
- Frame the fort. Set the braces or chairs/stools up to frame your fort. Refer to your rough drawing to help you with placement. Consider adding either a chair, stool or ladder in the middle of your fort in order to provide a center beam.
- The center beam will act as your starting point for adding your roof and walls. Select the tallest stool, chair or ladder to sit squarely in the middle of your fort.
- Place the smallest braces or chairs around the perimeter of the fort. When using chairs, face the seated area outward to provide for more space inside the fort.
- Make sure each chair, stool or ladder is sturdy and safe; if you use flimsy braces your entire fort will come tumbling down on top of you… not very romantic!
- Build the walls using sheets or blankets. Begin by laying the first sheet over the center brace in the middle of your fort. Position the sheet or blanket so that the middle is laying on top of the center brace. Determine if a single blanket will be able to easily lay over the tops of your perimeter chairs or if you need additional blankets or sheets. If the middle sheet is too small, attach additional blankets to each of the four sides of the center sheet. Use safety pins, duct tape or other securing devices to attach additional sheeting or blankets.
- Drape sheets or blankets over the perimeter chairs or stools. Be sure you have enough overhang so that you can either attach the sheet to the perimeter chair with a clip or pin or that it is long enough to lay over the chair on its own.
- Add sheets or blankets over the top if you have any gaps or holes (unless you want the "skylight" effect).
- Add a blow up mattress. Slide the un-inflated blow-up mattress inside the fort. Adding it before you inflate is the easiest way to keep your fort intact. Lay the mattress out flat and inflate. Make the bed using standard sheets, pillows and comforters––the more it's like your actual bed in terms of comfort, the better.
- Decorate your love fort to set the mood. Place flameless candles inside and around the outside of your fort. Consider using small votive flameless candles––you can find these at many craft stores. Purchase several red roses and peel off the petals. Sprinkle the petals over your mattress and around the fort. For added effect, make a rose petal trail from the front door to the fort, so that you honey knows where to find you when he or she gets home from work. Put the wine or champagne on ice, turn on the music and let the night begin.
- Purchase his or her favorite snacks to keep on hand; look for food that is non-perishable and does not require cooking or refrigeration.
- Wash all blankets or sheets used to build the fort the next day, especially if you built your fort outdoors.
- Lightly spray the inside of the fort with your cologne or perfume to entice the olfactory senses.
- Choose something sexy or romantic to wear to your love fort evening.
Edit Warnings - Never build your fort near a roaring fireplace or fire pit. Most of the items used for the fort are flammable and you won't be able to see items slipping off from the outside while you're inside.
- Only include alcoholic beverages if you're of age to consume them (varies according to jurisdiction). Non-alcoholic bubbly is just as good as a substitute.
Edit Things You'll Need - Sheets, blankets
- Pillows, cushions
- Safety pins, duct tape, etc. for attaching
- Chairs, tables, other building items
- Music
- Flameless candles or other lighting (small LED lights are great)
- Food
- Aromatic spray
- Anything romantic you'd like to include
- Babysitting (if needed)
- Stargazing items if building fort outdoors
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